It’s been 200 years today since Edgar Allan Poe was born. This will also mark the 60th anniversary of the Poe Toaster who, despite sounding like an eldritch kitchen appliance, is actually a mysterious man who visits Poe’s gravesite every year on his birthday and raises a cognac toast.

It’s hard to overestimate the influence that Poe has had on the collective goth psyche. Today would be an excellent day to get together with some velvet-clad friends, sip cognac, and read some of his stories. Project Gutenberg, Black Cat Poems, and PoeStories.com have many of his works online, and here’s an article on Poe and music if you need inspiration for mood music. And Cynical-C did a roundup of readings of “The Raven” a while back, by people like Vincent Price and Christopher Walken. It’s fun to listen to the different reading styles.

Have a gloomy and direful day!